The PNE’s board of directors was scheduled to meet with the public Monday night to hear their thoughts about a proposal to allow Vancouver’s annual 4/20 marijuana smoke-in to take place at the fairgrounds. (Katya Slepian/Black Press)

PNE says no to Vancouver’s 4/20 gathering

The PNE fairgrounds will not host Vancouver’s annual 4/20 gathering next year.

The board of directors met with the public Monday night to talk about a proposal to allow the city’s annual marijuana smoke-in to take place on their grounds.

After the meeting, the PNE tweeted that their board passed a motion saying their fairgrounds will not serve as the site for relocation of 4/20.

Tonight the PNE Board passed motion on 420: “that the Hastings Park/PNE Board write to Vancouver City Council to communicate that Hastings Park will not serve as a relocation site for the 420 protest activities”

In previous years, the smoke-up has received criticism for being held at Sunset Beach in part because of the damage to the park and beach. For more than 20 years, potheads and legalization advocates alike would swarm the space in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery, sending clouds of pot smoke into the air, but organizers were asked to find a better venue and relocated to the beach in 2016.

Larsen said park board staff have since pressured them to find a new home and proposed the PNE as a possible location.

Ballance said organizers must meet a set of criteria to be eligible for hosting, such as availability and liability insurance.

Four different events were already scheduled for the site, some of which will be attended by children. More than 15,000 guests of all ages are expected to show up.

Every organizer must also secure third-party comprehensive general liability insurance before the event is considered. Ballance said it would be a challenge for 4/20 to meet this criteria because event space is given to non-licensed cannabis vendors.

The park board released a statement last month, saying its goal is to relocate the event from Sunset Beach by 2020.